Snape's Favor

Chapter 54 Snape's Favor

Ian finally understood why Hogwarts allowed half an hour for breaks between classes, as it took a full 15 minutes just to get from the Charms classroom on the 4th floor to the Potions classroom in the basement.

You should know that this distance would take less than 2 minutes to walk in a straight line. I am truly grateful for those winding staircases, which are really dazzling.

After a parkour-like journey, we finally arrived at the Potions classroom without any major incidents. Unlike other classrooms, this one was already packed with people.

No young wizard at Hogwarts would dare to be late for Snape's Potions class, unless there was an unavoidable reason.

Ian easily took his seat, arranged the necessary items, and then...

So I opened the textbook and started reviewing. Hmm, the cover of the book is "OWLs Potions Class Review Outline".

Ian's Potions class is already among the best in all subjects. The reason he chose to continue taking classes with the first-year students instead of applying for the third year like Charms is simply because he wants to accumulate more experience in brewing potions and processing medicinal materials.

It's quite simple. As the young wizards' skills improve, the content of potion classes also becomes more advanced. This leads to the potions being brewed becoming more sophisticated as they progress, which in turn increases the cost of materials.

As a result, in potions classes after the third year, the young wizards are given at most two portions of ingredients to concoct, and they are given two portions regardless of whether they succeed or not.

After all, the Hogwarts board of trustees are not fools; pure-blood families are sometimes more sensitive to money than the goblins of Gringotts.

But it's different for first graders. They brew simple medicines like scabies remedies, and the ingredients are relatively cheap. So, first-grade wizards prepare seven portions of the corresponding medicines for each class so that they can use them.

This is also why Ian stayed in the first year and refused to leave.

He always remembered Snape's words: "Potions aren't something you learn from textbooks."

As it turned out, the other party was right.

Through frequent brewing and material processing over this period, Ian has become increasingly adept at handling the various changes in the potions in the crucible, and has a more genuine feeling for the transformation of magical power within them. This is the most essential thing for a true potion master—perceiving the potion.

A true word is passed on, and a thousand volumes of books are falsely passed on.

Snape truly deserves to be called a renowned Potions Master of his time; a single sentence that hits the nail on the head is worth more than a thousand words. Ian also admires Snape's personality: he says everything that needs to be said precisely and accurately, and utters not a single word that shouldn't be said or is meaningless.

So, during this period, going to Snape's office every week to handle medicines was one of the few relaxing moments he had at Hogwarts.

As long as he does his own thing in peace, Snape won't interfere, nor does he want to. After he finishes, he just needs to show it to the other party, receive feedback, and find his shortcomings.

Snape was well aware of Ian's thoughts. Through the process of preparing potion ingredients in Ian's office every Wednesday and Friday, he had already indirectly learned about Ian's true abilities.

However, after gaining the ability, the other party did not show off or flaunt it at all, but chose to settle down and attend first-year classes. It was clear that he had taken his words to heart, and Snape also greatly appreciated this calm and steady character.

Therefore, he really treats Ian well in class now.

Not only did he exempt Ian from potion class assignments, he even allowed Ian to study on his own without disturbing others, something other young wizards wouldn't even dare to dream of.

……

Getting back to the point, Professor Snape walked into the classroom right on time as usual. Without saying a word, his powerful aura had already made the young wizards sit up straight. After Snape walked to the podium, he began the routine roll call.

In fact, Ian thought roll call was really unnecessary. No young wizard in any house, including Slytherin, would dare to skip Potions class. Even the Weasley twins, who were known for their mischief, didn't have the guts.

Today's lesson was quite simple: preparing "rejuvenation water," a substance that can restore a person or small animal to its childhood form. Generally, just a few drops are enough to turn a toad back into a tadpole.

It's worth mentioning that "people" here refers to Muggles in general, because wizards have a strong resistance to potions. Unless they drink a whole bottle at once, a few drops of the potion really won't turn them into babies.

In comparison, Muggles have absolutely no resistance to potions. When Ian gave Eileen a Vitality Tonic, he always diluted it with water to a ratio of one drop of potion to one bottle before feeding it to her. Otherwise, it wouldn't be saving her, it would be murder.

Snape first spent about 20 minutes explaining in detail the origin of the Water of Youth, as well as its various taboos, and even the emergency measures after accidentally ingesting it.

Then he wrote down on the blackboard all the ingredients needed to make the rejuvenation water, including: daisy root, fig peel, green caterpillar, a small drop of leech juice, and mouse spleen.

Under Professor Snape's orders, all the young wizards began to try to brew the Water of Youth.

Unlike the others who were paired up, Ian was ordered to work alone.

It was nothing more than some cheap materials, which could be considered one of the preferential treatments Snape gave Ian within the scope of his authority, allowing him to practice with peace of mind, find his footing, and better understand and deepen his connection with potions.

However, this preferential treatment was seen by the other young wizards as targeting and punishment. Ian was too lazy to explain, and even less able to explain, so he and Snape tacitly understood each other.

Ian quickly processed the seven materials and then began to prepare the potions one by one.

Even if Snape happened to pass by, he wouldn't give Ian a second glance, since brewing the Elixir of Youth really wasn't that simple. Ian really wanted to quote Lockhart—"I could brew it while I was sleeping."

------------------

(P.S.: Please recommend, please favorite, please invest, please recommend, please invest, please favorite.)

New book, please add to your favorites, recommend, and invest!

Thank you so much, dear readers! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

The seedlings cannot grow without your help and support~

(End of this chapter)